Category: Culture and Traditions

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: When anyone mentions the Mahabharata, there are some key characters who are usually hero-worshiped by all fans of the work. Krishna The mastermind behind the whole sequence of events that unfolded. The apple of everyone’s eyes. And one of the few characters who was cordial with almost everyone on both…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I don’t endorse the idea of ‘Indian culture’. There is no such thing as ‘Indian culture’ whereby you have a bulleted lists of things to do and things not to do. Unlike other nations, India is a land of diverse cultures and things change when we move from one region…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: Because in India (and in most South Asian countries, for that matter), fair skin automatically translates to beautiful. It doesn’t matter if the facial features are far from perfect. As long as the person is fair, they are considered as beautiful/handsome. I don’t think this is an age-old system, though….

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I belong to a community in India that is still matrilineal. There’s a basic difference between matrilineal and matriarchal. Many people tend to confuse between both or use one as a synonym for the other. They’re both different. A matriarchy is one where the head of the family is always…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: Sexism is a social evil… whether directed against men or against women. Although it must also be said that even if I, as a woman, try to equal it out, I have been met with reactions from the opposite sex which has made me think if these guys really want…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: Even if one attempts to draw a line, it’s going to be very blurry. If one puts aside the matters of temple worship and all associated things, most quintessentially ‘Indian’ things are nothing but cultural. Off late, the word ‘Hindu’ has come to mean people belonging to the ‘Hindu religion’,…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I believe that He is very much married. In all Nair ancestral homes, it was customary to have a serpent grove in the woods around the house. The idols kept for worship in these groves are those of Nagaraja (Vasuki), Nagayakshi and several other smaller idols representing their daughter, Nagakanyaka,…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I think they’re pretty cool! Though I’m too chicken to get one myself Did you know that Hindus sported tattoos way before they go so popular the world over? They were all green in color and made with some natural permanent ink. They didn’t have those fancy guns back then…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: I cannot be a voice for all Hindus the world over, so I’ll speak just for myself. I won’t feel anything about anyone sporting a tattoo about anything at all…provided they give it the respect the symbol deserves. When getting a tattoo from a culture that’s not their own, it…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: The subject of ‘illicit relations’ is in itself a very vague subject in Sanatana Dharma. There are several accounts across the scriptures of men indulging in physical relationships outside their marriage, though most times such relationships are sanctified by marriage. There are also stories of two consenting unmarried individuals indulging…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: Age of Kerala Strictly speaking, the state of ‘Kerala’ was formed only on November 1, 1956. Until then, it was just a region comprising of three princely states- Malabar, Kochi & Thiruvithamkoor – and several baronial estates. As per Hindu mythology, there are only a handful of mentions to the…

Answer by Raakhee V. Menon: In India, there is just one meaning for the word ‘boyfriend’… a male romantic partner. Nothing more, nothing less. So, as an Indian woman, I would use that word with a lot of caution and would definitely NOT refer to any of my male friends as my ‘boyfriend’. Oh dear…